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2019 South Africa Ultimate Cat Experience

September 8th - 20th, 2019

2019 South Africa Ultimate Cat Experience: Photograph and learn alongside one of the world’s leading wildlife photographers. Join Daniel J. and Tanya Cox on their 5th tour to South Africa. Here you will find the most pristine, private game reserves in all of Africa. Each and every visit is unforgettable—so many leopards and lion pride sightings that we’ve lost count! The two lodges where we’ll stay are among the best in the world for the big cats—you will be spoiled! Private reserves offer the optimum viewing experience. This tour is spectacular—the trip of a lifetime!

After breakfast, depart from Johannesburg and take a private charter flight (55 minutes) to Londolozi Game Reserve. Here we’ll be escorted by rangers to the Londolozi Varty Camp where we’ll stay for five nights. Luggage will go by road, meaning no weight restrictions for domestic travel. Note: Varty Camp is undergoing a complete renovation in 2018!

Daily, we’ll head out early on safari for the best light. Dan will rotate between safari vehicles to help each guest with camera settings and questions. Midday, when the light is harsh, we’ll have time for downloading memory cards, workshops, or to relax near the pool. There will be a second game drive beginning in late afternoon until dusk. Some nights we’ll stay out late for a “spotlight night safari,” another way to view the wilds of Africa. Evening drinks and gourmet dinners.

Londolozi is famous for its abundant leopard population but also boasts home to high concentrations of white rhino and lion. Herds of elephant and buffalo and also zebra, hyena, cheetah, giraffe, and a vast variety of antelope may be seen. Since it is privately owned, Londolozi is not bound by the strict rules of Kruger National Park. We can drive off-road into the heart of the bush and take guided walking safaris with their excellent team of rangers and trackers. We can stay out for evening sunsets until after dark, unlike Kenya reserves. Londolozi has two of the seventeen master trackers in South Africa. With over 42,000 acres to explore, no two game drives will be the same! Londolozi has camera lenses available to rent (must be arranged prior to tour) and gives guests use of their photographer’s multimedia center. Also don’t forget, you have a $100 (USD) credit to use at Londolozi for your enjoyment!

Take a journey back in time! Homesteaded by ranger Harry Kirkman between 1933 and 1958, &Beyond Kirkman’s offers the historic atmosphere of an authentic South African homestead. Kirkman’s sits on a ridge, offering incredible views of the Sand River below. African wildlife, especially warthogs, are known to frequent the manicured grounds. Each suite feature its own private veranda, a secluded spot for you to enjoy a drink and the breathtaking scenery that surrounds you.

Each day, we’ll take an early morning and late afternoon/evening game drive in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Like Londolozi, Kirkman’s is in the heart of Sabi Sand Game Reserve and also renowned for leopard sightings, providing us even more opportunities to spot and photograph these big cats! Other members of the Big Five (lion, rhino, elephant, and Cape buffalo), spotted hyena, various antelope, and hippo also frequent this area. This camp plans to reduce its number of rooms to 12, so we should have the camp all to ourselves!

Thursday, September 19 (B)

Fly to Johannesburg late morning by private charter plane; luggage will arrive by road. Fly home this evening.

Guest Limits

Trip Cost

13,500 per person, based on double occupancy

Single sup: 2200 (limited available)

All pricing in USD

Deposit

$2500 Per person due at time of booking
Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, Discover, or check accepted

Deposits are non-refundable. If cancellations are necessary, we require this request in writing. We will do our best to resell your space. Only if we can resell your space, we will refund (minus deposit and discounts given to sell your space). No partial refunds are possible for unused services.

Installments

June 1, 2018: $6000 per person first installment
April 15, 2019: Final installment

Check only for first and final installments. Please make check payable to Natural Exposures and mail to:

Natural Exposures810 N. Wallace, Suite EBozeman, MT 59715

Included

Private small group travel with Daniel J. Cox

Accommodations for 1 night in Johannesburg and 9 nights during safari

Welcome dinner in Johannesburg

All game drives (18 safaris!) with 3-4 guests per vehicle

Meals, beverages, and laundry where indicated

Purified drinking water

$100 credit at Londolozi to use for printing services, spa, or gift shop

Entrance fees to all locations

Charter domestic flight as specified in itinerary

Luggage by road transfer (no weight restrictions)

Expert rangers/trackers/guides at all locations

Not Included

International airfare

Miscellaneous personal expenses including alcohol, soft drinks, and laundry where not indicated

Vaccinations

Gratuities

Travel insurance

Airport transfers on non-itinerary days

Extra nights at lodges/hotels

Flights to Book

September 8, 2019Depart US/Canada

September 9, 2019Arrive Johannesburg (JNB) any time of day. Welcome dinner and drinks this evening.

September 19, 2019Depart Johannesburg (JNB) late afternoon or evening

September 20, 2019Arrive home

Travel Insurance

Travel/emergency evacuation insurance is not required for this photo tour, but we always recommend purchasing it for any trip. We recommend one or more of the following, depending on your needs:

Terms & Conditions

Natural Exposures cannot control nor is responsible for abnormal weather, natural disasters, or any other disaster that might affect the trip. Travel insurance should be purchased to cover any missed flights or medical problems that may affect/delay your travel. National Parks have the right to change our itinerary.

Accommodations for 2019 South Africa Ultimate Cat Experience

September 9, 1 NightIntercontinental JohannesburgThis Johannesburg airport hotel provides convenience, style, and all of the upscale facilities you’d expect from an award-winning hotel, including a spa, business center, and Quills African restaurant.

September 10-14, 5 NightsLondolozi Varty Camp
Londolozi is the Zulu word for protect and means “protector of all living things.” This private reserve is situated on the Sand River in the heart of Sabi Sand Game Reserve and world-renowned as one of Africa’s premier game lodges. This rich, wild wonderland has some of the highest recorded concentrations of white rhino and lion in Africa and is also famous for its viewings of leopards. Londolozi is truly one of life’s treasured experiences. Each African-style chalet in the Founders Camp comes with en suite bathroom and private plunge pool.

Included:

Accommodation

All meals, tea and coffee daily

Soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers

Two game drives daily in open Land Rovers

Nature walks accompanied by experienced, armed trackers

One group yoga class per day at Varty Camp

Fitness room at Varty Camp

Emergency medical evacuation insurance

Laundry

VAT

September 15-18, 4 Nights&Beyond Kirkman’s KampThe original homestead of Harry Kirkman has been beautifully restored; 18 charming suites overlook the bushveld and beautiful lawns surround the lodge and swimming pool, with spectacular views of the unspoiled landscape surrounding the Sand River. The moment you walk into the main guest area at Kirkman’s Kamp, you’ll think you’ve been transported back in time. The fact that the lawn has warthog grazing on it instead of a neatly dressed party playing croquet does nothing to dispel this illusion; in fact, it all adds to the ambiance of this 1920s South African homestead. Impeccable and gracious service completes the old world atmosphere, as the spirit of safari comes alive at this evocative camp, set in one of the most renowned wildlife regions in the world. Kirkman Kamp is planning to reduce the room # in 2018 to 12 rooms. We plan on having the camp to ourselves.

Helpful Information for 2019 South Africa Ultimate Cat Experience

TOUR EXPERIENCE

As we tell many of our guests, if you want to experience Africa, do it now! The price is only increasing—rates are climbing 5-15% per year. There will never be more animals than there are now, and things are always changing—safety, politics, poverty, climate change—now is the time to go!

Our tours are not the least expensive, but we aim to do it right. If this is your only trip to Africa, we want you to experience the private reserves and their quality of service, guides, and accommodations. As the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”

While touring, we allow only 3-4 guests per safari vehicle. If you go with a larger company that offers lower rates, you could get stuck with up to NINE guests in a safari vehicle; we have seen this often in the field. We feel 12-18 guests on a tour offer a variety of personalities to enjoy during the trip. If a group is too small, you could get stuck with someone you don’t want to be on safari with, share meals with, etc. every day—it does happen! Photography is the main focus of our tours, but we also feel the need to have a friendly and fun group atmosphere. We think highly of our guests and feel fortunate to know most of the good people who travel with us.

The lodges on this trip are the best of the private game reserves. You could go to Kruger National Park, but since this park is open to everyone, there is the possibility of having dozens of vehicles around a leopard or lion kill. The private reserves do have some rules with how many vehicles can sit around a cat, however, we have never experienced an issue with this. There is a limit to the number of vehicles on each reserve where game viewing is the best. Londolozi started monitoring the leopards in their areas about 20 years ago. The population has increased generation by generation. You will not be disappointed! Often we’ll do an evening game drive back to the lodge with spotlights—what an experience to see the big cats at dusk! We do not have this opportunity in Kenya due to park regulations.

SAFARI VEHICLES

South Africa is very different than Kenya when it comes to vehicles and reserves. The safari vehicles are limited at each lodge and the lodges are smaller and more exclusive than most lodges in Kenya. The vehicles are “tiered” with three rows of seating; two people per row equals six to eight passengers per vehicle. We have leased extra vehicles for our group with a goal to have 3-4 guests per vehicle at each lodge. The benefits in these smaller private reserves include no off-road restrictions or restricted distance from the animals. Game viewing is also limited to guests staying at their lodges only. Vehicle seating cannot be determined until we know how many people are booked on the trip. This has always been an issue in South Africa and is unavoidable at these private reserves. Please know that we will do everything in our power to accommodate each guest with as much space as possible for the duration of the trip.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PHOTOGRAPH THE BIG CATS?

Any time is good in South Africa! They have their young year-round. We’ll be visiting during the dry season before the November rains, so often we’ll encounter cats at the watering holes which will give us an extra advantage to photograph them. All of the reserves are private, so we’ll have the freedom to explore areas on and off road.

VISAS

U.S., CANADA, and UK citizens DO NOT need tourist visas if staying for less than 90 days in South Africa. Please make sure to have at least two consecutive empty pages in your passport before traveling to South Africa—it is required! For all other nationalities visa requirements, please visit the South Africa Home Affairs Visa Information website.

VACCINATIONS

It is always best to make sure you are up to date with your routine vaccinations and to check in with your doctor or a medical professional ideally 4-6 weeks before travel. Recommended (but not required) are:

Despite traveling during the dry season, Malaria prevention is suggested.

LUGGAGE

For international flights there is usually no problem with luggage allowance; you just pay extra if needed. We highly recommend camera gear is carried onto the plane with you, so make sure to bring a bag that is within carry-on size allowance. It will most likely weigh more than allowed, so if possible keep your carry-on away from the ticketing area when checking in to avoid having them weigh it or give you any hassles. All personal luggage needs to be in “duffel-like” bags whether it is with or without roller capabilities. Make sure all of your bags have name tags on them please!

Domestically, we’ll be flying on small commuter planes which will have luggage allowances (20kg per guest), so our plan is to have the personal luggage travel by road. This way we won’t have to deal with these weight restrictions. We’ll take our camera bag on the flight and personal luggage will travel by road. Upon arrival and departure into South Africa, it is suggested to use TSA locks or plastic wrap for your luggage. Keep all prescriptions, camera chargers, and valuables in your carry-on.

CAMERA GEAR

Closer to tour departure, Daniel will give each guest a call to say hello and check if you would like any guidance on what camera gear to bring. We’ll also include a list of camera gear Daniel will be bringing in the itinerary that we’ll mail to you pre-trip. Some of the lodges rent lenses. Please inquire with us if you would like to reserve a lens at a lodge and we will send you the pricing list. There will be plenty of room on the safari vehicles for your camera bags.

TIPPING

All tipping can be put on a credit card (if desired) for guides, trackers, and lodge staff. We will provide you with tipping suggestions for each lodge.

CURRENCY

The currency unit in South Africa is the Rand, denoted by the symbol R, with 100 cents making up one Rand (R1). Foreign currency can be exchanged at local banks and Bureaux de Changes. Most major international credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa, and their affiliates are widely accepted

Wi-Fi

Internet is available at all of the lodges free of charge and is reliable most of the time.

Have a question?

Have a question about this tour? We're happy to answer any queries you may have.

Testimonials from Natural Exposures' Explorers

"Jim and I want to thank you both for one of the best trips we have ever had to Africa. Everything was really wonderful - the camps, the whole schedule, the group (loved meeting all of the folks on the trip) and of course, the animals were Over The Top (especially the sloth bear, joke) . Thanks again to both of you for all of your hard work to make the trip an incredible journey."

Jim and Lynne Edwards, California

"I loved my Bhutan trip two years ago, but South Africa exceeded the Bhutan trip by orders of magnitude. It was worth waiting 55 years for!!! The leopard in the tree over my head gave me that wilderness experience I'll never forget. It was amazing to just be a part of. Thanks again for an incredible trip!!! A trip of a lifetime that I will never forget; a 55 old dream that finally came true...."

Tom Dietrich, Wyoming

"Anyone who joins you on the Mala Mala - Londolozi photo safari is in for a treat. What an incredible itinerary. Doug and I spent our first safari at Mala Mala and saw our first leopard there. And Christmas in Londolozi. Wow! Tom Emri and the Varty couple Shan and Dave were wonderful. We both came home with loads of very special photos and memories. We only wish we could join you on your tour. Bummer! I know you and your fellow photographers will not be disappointed."